Surveillance Society

By William R. Toler

As technology increases, both in the government and private sector, it seems that our right to privacy continues to decrease.

Recently, Popular Mechanics reported that the Michigan State Police may have been using forensic analyzers on smart phones during routine traffic stops. The magazine mentions a letter sent from the American Civil Liberties Union to the state police alledging that troopers have been violating the Fourth Amendment by using the Cellebrite Universal Forensic Extraction Device.

The manufacturing company’s website boasts that the UFED system “extracts vital information from 95 [percent] of all cellular phones on the market today, including smartphones and PDS devices.” A list of information that can be extract is listed on the product’s page including: contacts, text messages (even deleted ones), call history, audio, video, pictures and ringtones.